Black / White point confusion

[snapperanton]

Hello,

Maybe somebody can put my mind at rest here. I am a photographer and do most of my post production apart from major retouch.

I have been asked to submit a quantity of images to a library and they have specified 1% /99% black and white points. I realise that spectral highlights will never read without totally flattening the image. It got me thinking, maybe when I submit my work for magazines etc, should I use the same rule??

In the past I have tended to have a 0% and 100% somewhere in the image but then I notice that when I layer on grain this tends to lower the contrast overall.

I would be interested to know what pro retouchers think and how they set their b/w points for clients files.

/Anthony

[Quantum3]

It always will lower the contrast, well, technically, the contrast is set to another white and black points but it looks less contrasty.

You don't need flattening the image in order to measure black and white points, just add a levels adjustment layer above all the layers and it will read the result of the sum of all the layers. Make sure to click on the triangle with an ! in the upper right corner of the histogram in order to refresh it.

[snapperanton]

When I am retouching I always have black point/white point targets set and generally two more for skin tones so I can keep an eye on the file. When you deliver a file to your clients do you keep detail in black/white or do you let them go.... 0% / 100% . I find a quick an easy check is to put a Threshold layer on, this is generally how I set the points.

I am interested to know how retouchers think. Obviously if you know where a file is going to end up you can bear that in mind, which is probably why the image library insist on 1% / 99% . One file can be used for many different end purposes.

[Quantum3]

Originally Posted by snapperanton

When I am retouching I always have black point/white point targets set and generally two more for skin tones so I can keep an eye on the file. When you deliver a file to your clients do you keep detail in black/white or do you let them go.... 0% / 100% . I find a quick an easy check is to put a Threshold layer on, this is generally how I set the points.

I am interested to know how retouchers think. Obviously if you know where a file is going to end up you can bear that in mind, which is probably why the image library insist on 1% / 99% . One file can be used for many different end purposes.

It will depend on the print out what you should do with the white and black point because the printer may do a mess of ink if those parameters are not set properly. Some printers have a black/white point set higher, therefore, black and white point shouldbe modified. I work files at 0...100% as far as I have never had any problem with this. There are much more experienced retouchers around here such Godmother, Markzebra, Murray, Chris, Calvin and few more but don't know where they are...

[snapperanton]

It's interesting to know, I have also tended to work files at 0% / 100% up until I came across preparing files for the library. They tend to look better on screen but in my experience when CMYK conversions and different papers ( dot gain etc ) come into the equation then things can go a little of course. I always send sample prints when submitting files to magazines.... that helps a lot in my experience and nowadays they tend to insist on that anyway.